Dial needle control for ribbed fabric knitting machines



A g- 1954K B. e. WAGONER 2,685,185

- DIAL NEEDLE CONTROL FOR RIBBED FABRIC KNITTING MACHINES Filed" Aug. 6, 1952 9 Sheefcs-Sheeg i BRUCE 5 "4160mm,

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 3, 1954 B. G. WAGONER 2,685,185

DIAL NEEDLE CONTROL FOR RIBBED FABRIC KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 6, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 6w /5/ I .222 87 I Q5 j I56 I T 73 Q 57 O ,IIIIIIIIIIIIII Bzucs 6. WAGNER,-

INVENTOR.

ATTORNE Y5.

Aug. 3, 1954 a. e. WAGONER DIAL NEEDLE CONTROL FOR RIBBED FABRIC KNITTING MACHINES Filed Au 6, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR 52w: 6. lflrao/rm ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 3, 1954 B. G. WAGONER DIAL NEEDLE CONTROL FOR RIBBED FABRIC KNITTING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 6, 1952 BRUCE G. WnaouER INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

B. G. WAGONER Aug. 3, 1954 DIAL NEEDLE CONTROL FOR RIB BED FABRIC KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug 6, 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Km 1- ruva Pal/v7- moa ( aha M In 6 BRUCE 6. W/wonm,

INVENTOR- ATTORNEYS A g- 1954 B. G. WAGONER I 2,685,185

DIAL NEEDLE CONTROL FOR RIBBED FABRIC KNITTING MACHINES 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 6. 1952 BRUCE 6 WMo/vm INVENTOIQ.

Aug. 3, 1954 a. WAGONER Aug. 3, 1954 B. G. WAGONER 2,585,185

DIAL NEEDLE CONTROL FOR RIBBED FABRIC KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 6, 1952 9 sheets-sheet a ZIB , BRUCE G. Wnaanm 63 I INVENTOR.

BY fll-MM ATTORNEYS.

3, 1 54 a. s. WAGONER 2,685,185

DIAL NEEDLE cvNTRoL FOR RIBBED FABRIC KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 6. 1952 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 521/4; 6 Mao/rm,

INVENTOR mud-M ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 3, 1954 DIAL NEEDLE CONTROL FOR RIBBED FABRIC KNITTING MACHINES Bruce G. Wagoner, High Point, N. C., assignor to Crown Hosiery Mills, Inc., High Point, N. 0., a corporation of North Carolina Application August 6, 1952, Serial No. 302,901

4 Claims.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines of the type having a complementary pair of series of rib-knitting devices such as a needle cylinder provided with independent cylinder needles and a dial provided with independent dial needles or hooks and cast-oifs which cooperate in forming ribbed fabrics.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a novel arrangement of the dial cams and butts on the dial needles or hooks and cast-offs,

which arrangement facilitates the knitting by a continuous operation a stocking of the half-hose type having a ribbed or plain knit top provided with a. selvage knitted in advance of the top, a ribbed leg and instep and a plan knit heel, sole and toe.

It is another object of this invention to provide a machine capable of knitting continuously a succession of stockings, each stocking being complete, except for the closure of the toe seam, wherein complete courses of ribbed fabric may be knitted and wherein a selvage or make-up is initially formed at the top of the stocking and, thereafter, the entire leg of the stocking or any part thereof may be knitted in complete courses of ribbed fabric following which successive courses may be knitted wherein each of said successive courses formed is substantially half of plain fabric and the other half thereof being formed as ribbed fabric.

Heretofore, in order to produce a seamless stocking having portions partly of rib and partly of plain fabric; for example, a ribbed leg and ribbed instep and a plain or ribbed welt or top, it has been necessary to commence knitting at the toe instead of at the top of the stocking in order to obviate the necessity of transferring loops from the dial to the cylinder needles, it merely being necessary, heretofore, that the dial needles, which had previously been inactive as the corresponding cylinder needles were active in plain knitting, would merely be actuated to move outwardly and pick up the loops from the cylinder needles, which is not normally considered as a loop transfer operation.

However, this picking up of the loops by the previously inactive dial needles has resulted in indentations at the walewise junctures of the inwardly facing stitches and the outwardly facing stitches in the wales at the point at which the rib has commenced. More important, however, is the fact that, since the top of the stocking was the last portion of the stocking to be knitted, the edge of the top would be raveled and it was necessary that the upper edge of the stocking undergo an additional operation in which the upper edge of the stocking was provided with a selvage by a sewing operation.

Thus, more specifically, it is the object of this invention to provide means for knitting a complete stocking from top to toe, thereby facilitating the formation of a selvage at the upper edge of the stocking during ordinary rib knitting and wherein the leg or any portion thereof may also be knitted as a ribbed fabric and, upon approaching the heel of the stocking, substantially half of the stitches carried by the dial needles are transferred to the cylinder needles While the remaining active dial needles remain active during the formation of the instep courses. Of course, upon approaching the toe of the stocking, the stitches carried by said remaining active dial needles are then transferred to the cylinder needles for the forming of the ring toe and the toe pocket. This overcomes an obvious defect of circular rib knitting machines currently in use and such as are disclosed in the R. W. Scott Patent Nos. 1,641,101 of August 30, 1927 and 1,641,554 of September 6, 1927. This also produces a fabric wherein the junctures of the rib knit areas and the plain knit areas, Wale-wise, are substantially smoother than any rib knit stockings heretofore manufactured.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a front elevation of the upper portion of a circular knitting machine and a dial mechanism associated therewith and showing parts of the improved means for controlling certain of the dial cams;

Figure 2 is a right side elevation of the machine, partly in section, showing the connections between the dial cams and the main pattern drum;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the dial and the sinker head and being taken substantially along the line 33 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, taken substantially along the line 4-4 in Figure 1, showing the dial cap and operating connections, the latch ring, the yarn feeding fingers and the yarn severing and clamping means;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the lower right-hand portion of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a development of the cylinder cams showing the relative positions of the needles as effected by the cylinder cams; Figures 7 and 8 are sectional plan views "through the dial cams showing the preferred relation of the dial cams to the cylinder cams by comparison with Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a schematic plan view showing the relative positions of the dial hooks and the cylinder needles, the positions of the dial hooks corresponding to the dial cam arrangement in Figure 7 with the exception that all the cams in Figure '7 would be in fully operative position;

Figures 10 to 15, inclusive, are enlarged vertical radial sections illustrating successive positions of the respective hook and cast-off type of dial needles during the motions of knitting;

Figure 16 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line Iii-45 in Figure 5, illustrating the manner in which the new dial cams are mounted;

Figure 17 is a fragmentary elevation taken substantially along the line llfl in Figure 2, but showing the main pattern drum revolved substantially 125 degrees from the position in which it is shown in Figure 2;

Figure 18 is a side elevation of a stocking knitted according to the principles of the present invention;

Figure 19 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view of the area I9 defined in broken lines in Figure 18, showing the stitch formation at the junctures of the ribbed knit and plain knit portions of the stocking;

Figure 20 is a view similar to Figure '7, but showing the dial cams as arranged for controlling latch-type dial needles instead of the hook and cast-oil? type of needles;

Figures 21, 22 and 23, inclusive, are enlarged vertical radial sections illustrating successive positions of the latch-type dial needles during the motions of knitting;

Figure 24 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view similar to the lower portion of Figure 4, but showing how the dial cams for controlling latchtype dial needles are mounted;

Figure 25 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 2525 in Figure 24.

The knitting machine in association with which the present invention is shown is very similar to that shown in said Patents Nos. 1,641,101 and 1,641,554. Reference is also made to Pat ents Nos. 1,152,850 dated December '7, 1951, No. 1,148,055 dated July 1'7, 1915, and No. 1,282,958 dated October 29, 1918 for a further disclosure of the type machine with which the embodiment of the present invention is adapted to be associated. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention is capable of use with many different types of knitting machines, the present invention being shown in association with one type of circular knitting machine by way of i1- lustration only.

The machine illustrated is of a type having the usual needle cylinder provided with independent needles which cooperate with either latch needles or hooks and cast-offs of a dial, the improvement residing particularly in the arrangement of the dial cams, means for con trolling certain of the dial cams and the needles which are provided with butts of varying lengths or heights'to cooperate with the cylinder needles n forming rib-knit tubular fabrics as embodied in the mens half-hose shown in Figure 18.

The mens half-hose or stocking illustrated in Figure 18 comprises successively knitted portions including a top selvage edge or make-up S, an elastic or ribbed top I, a ribbed leg L and a ribbed instep I which is knit simultaneously with a plain-fabric sole s. The stocking also includes a plain knit heel h, and a plain knit toe t, the heel and toe being knitted by reciprocatory knitting on the cylinder needles only and the selvage, top, leg, instep, and sole being knitted by rotary knitting wherein some of the stitches are formed by the dial needles and the remaining stitches are formed by the cylinder needles.

Of course, the stocking shown in Figure 18 also includes the usua1 ring heel courses Rh, which are half plain fabric and half ribbed fabric and the usual ring toe courses Rt which are entirely plain knit fabric. The particular stocking shown in Figure 18 merely illustrates one of many different types of ribbed fabrics which may be knitted on the present machine, it being understood that the ribbed top I may be substantially longer than that shown relative to the leg L and, if so desired, certain groups of courses or alternate courses in the top and leg of the stocking may be entirely plain fabric while those courses between said alternate or spaced groups of courses may be of entirely ribbed fabric and, also, by use of the present invention, the front portion of the stocking may be provided with spaced plain knit areas between which rib-knit areas are provided and the leg and top of the stocking may be entirely ribbed fabric.

General description of the machine Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3, the machine comprises a frame broadly designated at comprising a bed plate or cam plate 5| which supports a vertically movable sock horn 52. The frame 50 also rotatably supports a conventional drive shaft 53 having bevel gears 54 and 55 fixed thereon. The gear 54 meshes with a bevel gear 56 rotatably supported by the bed plate 51 and which drives a conventional needle cylinder 51. The gear 55 meshes with a relatively small bevel gear 60 which is fixed on the lower end of a vertical shaft 61 rotatably mounted in an upright bracket 62 carried by the bed plate 5|.

Suitable conventional connections, not shown, extend from the upper end of shaft 6| for driving a dial spindle 62 and a dial broadly designated at 63 fixed on the lower end of the dial spindle 62. The dial spindle 62 is rotatable in a bearing 54 of a conventional bracket so the dial spindle 62 and the dial 63 are concentric with the needle cylinder 51. The driving connections between the vertical shaft 64 and the dial spindle 82 may be substantially as shown in said Patent No. 1,641,101 and the remaining parts heretofore described may all be substantially as shown in said Patent No. 1,282,958. As shown in said Patent No. 1,641,101, the dial spindle 62 and the dial 63 are driven in unison with the needle cylinder 51.

The bracket 65 is fixed upon a dial ring or latch ring bracket 56 which carries the conventional latch ring 6? encircling the upper portion of a stationary dial cam cap 1B which is substantially the same as the dial cap D shown in said Scott Patent No. 1,641,101, but is modified to accommodate the present invention as will be later described.

The dial cam cap 18 is provided with a hub H which is suitably secured to the bearing 64 of the bracket 65. The latch ring bracket 66 is pivoted at its rear end on the upper end of a post 12 and the front end of the bracket 66 rests upon a front post 13, the posts 12 and 13 being suitably secured to the upper surface of the bed or cam plate 5| of the frame 50. Thus, the dial 5 ring bracket 66, the dial B3, and their attachments may be lifted away from relation to the other parts of the machine.

The knitting machine also includes a conventional pattern drum I5 fixed on a shaft 16 carried by the frame 50. The pattern drum I5 is provided with suitable driving connections including a gear TI fixed to one end of the main pattern drum l5 and which meshes with a gear 80 which, in turn, meshes with a gear BI, the gears 80 and 8| being mounted on respective shafts 02 and 83. The means for rotating and reciprocating the drive shaft 53, the pattern drum I5 and its driving connections TI, 80, BI; and the structure of cam shaft 53 and its attachment, the primary pattern chain, not shown, may be substantially as shown in said Patents Nos. 1,152,850 and 1,282,958.

The usual vertically movable independent cylinder latch needles, which work in the usual slots or grooves of the needle cylinder 51, are generally designated as N, these needles being divided into a long-butt segment for the instep and a short butt segment for knitting the heel and toe in the usual manner. The needles N cooperate with the usual sinkers 85 carried by a conventional sinker head 85 supported on the upper end of the needle cylinder 51 and provided with screws 8'! which engage opposite sides of the post 73 to limit reciprocatory movement of the sinker head 85 as caused by the needle cylinder 57.

The bracket 66 pivotally supports the usual main or body yarn feed fingers which extend through the usual throat gap 9| in the latch ring 61 and which are controlled by conventional thrust rods 92 which engage the lower surfaces of the fingers 90 and extend downwardly through a suitable guide member 93 carried by a rod 94 fixed to the frame 50. The lower ends of the thrust rods 02 are alternately engaged by suitable cams, not shown, on the main pattern drum 75.

Cylinder needle cams The cylinder needle control cams (Fi ure 6) are conventional, substantially as shown in said Patent No. 1,641,101, and are arranged to encircle the lower portion of the needle cylinder 67. The cylinder needle cams are suitably supported by the bed or cam plate 5|. These cylinder needle control cams include a cam ring I which extends entirely around the needle cylinder and is formed with a pair of inverted vshaped openings IOI and I02 in the lower edge thereof in which respective first and second needle jack elevating cams I03 and I0 5 are disposed. Cam I03 is preferably radially movable and cam I04 may be stationary.

The first needle jack elevating cam I03 is spaced further from the needle cylinder than the second needle jack elevating cam we so that spaced short butt jacks J-I remain in lowered position as they move past the first needle jack elevating cam I03 and will subsequently be elevated by the second needle jack elevating cam I04. On the other hand, long butt jacks, indicated at J-Z, disposed between the short butt jacks J-I, are engaged and elevated by both the first and the second needle jack elevating cams I03 and I04.

In this instance, it will be observed in Figure 6 that alternate needles have a long butt jack J-2 therebeneath while the needles between every alternate pair of the needles having the long butt jacks J-Z therebeneath have a short butt jack J-I therebeneath. In other words,

there is no jack beneath every fourth needle while each group of three needles separated by a single jackless needle has a long butt jack J-2 beneath each of the outside needles and each of the middle needles between said outside needles has a short butt jack J-FI therebeneath. There are other ways that the needle jacks J-I and J-Z may be arranged, the arrangement shown in Figure 6 being provided to form a 1 x 3 ribbed fabric as will be evident as the description proceeds.

For purposes of clarity, the needles which are elevated by their butts traversing the second needle jack elevating cam I04, may be termed as ever-active needles and their butts are shown in open outline. The remaining needles, which are jackless needles, are indicated in black, and may be termed as occasionally-active needles.

fhe long butt jacks J2 are provided for the sole purpose of elevating alternate needles to take elastic yarn R from an elastic yarn feed finger I05 which is shown only in Figure 6, since the structure and manner of operation of the elastic yarn feed finger I05 is well known to those familiar with the art and does not necessarily constitute a part of the present invention. A radially movable elastic yarn switch cam Hit is provided beneath and subsequent to the yarn feed finger I 05 for the well known purpose of lowering the needles previously raised to take the elastic yarn R from the elastic yarn feed finger I 05 in order to position the elastic yarn R beneath the nibs of the corresponding sinkers for laying the yarn in the fabric subsequently knitted from the body yarn.

Disposed to the left of the elastic yarn stitch cam I06 is a conventional radially movable switch cam I01 which is controlled in a well known manner to engage the butts of the long butt needles for either raising or lowering the same in the usual manner for knitting the heel h and the toe t. The cam ring I00 has an opening in the upper surface edge thereof defining inclines IIO and III and in this opening are the usual stitch cams including a right-hand stitch cam I I2, a left hand stitch cam H3, a top center cam I I4 and a bottom center cam I I5.

In advance of the stitch cam I I2 there is provided a radially movable dividing cam Iit. Disposed above and subsequent to the high point of the needle jack elevating cam Iild is a radially movable needle raising cam III. The cam ring I 00 has a mean upper edge I20 to which the butts of the needles are lowered by a radially movable needle lowering cam I2I after the needles have been elevated by the incline I I I.

The various movable needle cams heretofore described may be controlled by the means shown in said Patents Nos. 1,152,850 and 1,282,958 and a further description as to the manner in which they are mounted and controlled is therefore deemed unnecessary. It is evident that the usual widening and narrowing pickers, not shown, may be provided to perform the usual narrowing and widening operations in the heel h and toe t of the stocking shown in Figure 18.

Dial mechanism As heretofore stated, the dial 63 is fixed to the dial spindle 62. As is well known, the dial 52 is provided with the usual radially extending grooves in which conventional dial needles I23 and I24 are mounted. In this instance the dial needles I 23 and I24 are so -called respective shortbutt and long-butt two-part needles. Each shortbutt needle I23 comprises a hook I25 and a castoff I2, and each long-butt dial needle I24 comprises a hook I21 and a cast-011 I28. The hooks I25 and I21 and the cast-cits I25 and I26 are mounted for radial sliding movement in the dial 62 independently of each other.

The particular dial needles illustrated in Figures 10 to 15, inclusive, are substantially the same as those shown in Scott Patent No. 1,385,929 of July 26, 1921. It is to be understood, however, that the latch-type of dial needles may be employed in lieu of the hook and cast-oil types of dial needles I23 and I24, as desired, in which in stance, slight modifications may be made in the arrangement of the dial cams as will be later described.

In this instance, the dial 63 and the dial needles I23 and I24 are substantially as shown in said Patent No. 1,641,101 with the exception that substantially half of the hooks, including all of the hooks I25, are provided with relatively short butts I25a (Figures 10, 11, and 12) and the corresponding half of the cast-oils, including all of the cast-offs I26, are also provided with relatively short butts I26a, thus forming a segment I36 (Figure 9) of the short-butt dial needles I23. l he remaining hooks I21 and cast-offs I28, which collectively form a segment I31 of the dial needles I24 are provided with respective long butts I21a and I28a.

As is well known to those familiar with the art, there are as many dial needles I23 and I22 carried by the dial 53 as there are jackless or occasionally-active cylinder needles N. During ri-bknitting, these jackless needles are lowered by the dividing cam I I6 as they move from right to left in Figure 6 to pass beneath the stitch cams H2 and M3, the relative rotative positions of the needle cylinder 51 and the dial 63 being such as to bring each dial needle I23 or I24 into the same radial plane as the downwardly projected needle. Thus, the ever-active cylinder needles N; those with jacks, work in the radial planes bisectin the angles defined by adjacent dial needles I23 and/or I24 and, with them, constitute the face-Wale series of needles and the back-Wale series of needles respectively cooperating with the yarn to knit ribbed fabrics. As shown in Figure 9, there are three ever-active cylinder needles N between adjacent dial needles, and, therefore, the rib pattern is 1 x 3.

Dial cams The dial cap III carries a conventional stationary outer cam ring I35 and a conventional stationary inner cam ring I36 defining between them a broad concentric groove I31, interposed in the broad groove I31 is a segmental butt separating cam I43, one end of which is spaced from group of knitting cams comprising a cam Iii which operates upon both the hook members I25 and I21 and the point members or cast-offs I26 and I23 of each of the respective dial needles I23 and I24. The knitting cams also comprise a cam I42 for advancing the cast-offs I25 and I28 of the needles I23 and I24 and a cam I43 for advancing the hooks I25 and I21 of the needles I23 and I24. The knitting cams MI, I42, and 543 may be constructed and operated in a manner similar to the cams I2 and I3 shown in Figures l and of said Patent No. 1,641,101.

It will be observed in Figure 4 that the dial cap 19 has an opening I44 therethrough through which the cams I4I, I42, and I43 of the knitting cam group extend and which are suitably secured on a carrier block I45 (Figure 4) which block I45 has holes guided on vertical pins I46 and I41 on the dial cap 16. The block I45 has a housing I52 over the pin I41 and a suitable spring, not shown, but being shown in said Patent 1,641,101, normally urges the housin I50 upwardly against the inner end of a conventional lever I5! pivotally mounted on a shaft I52 suitabl secured to a bracket I53 attached to the latch ring bracket 65.

It will be observed in Figures 2 and 4 that the rear end of the lever I5I has a follower I54 thereon which bears against the upper end of a thrust rod or bar I53 which extends downwardly through the guide 93 (Figure 2) and is successively engaged by the periphery of the pattern drum 15 and stepped cams I66 and IGI and a cam I62. The cams I I56, I5I and I62 are suitably secured to the periphery of the pattern drum 15. Although the cams I4I, I42 and I43 of the knitting cam group and the mechanical connections from the same to the pattern drum are substantially as shown in said Patent No. 1,641,101, the cams I60, IBI, and I52 are particularly arranged to cause the knitting cams to cooperate with the varying lengths of butts I25a, I26a, and I21a and 12812 as will be later described.

Now, in order to transfer the stitches from the half or segment I33 of the dial needles I23 to the corresponding jackless needles, such as in knitting the ring heel courses Rh of the stocking shown in Figure 18, there is provided in the broad groove I31 a group of stitch transfer dial cams Figures 1 and 8) which are peculiar to the present invention. The stitch transfer cams comprise a cast-off advancing or throw-out cam broadly designated at I65 and a hook advancing or throwout cam I35, the cams I and IE8 being vertically movable in unison from inoperative position to step into operative position only.

The cast-off advancing cam I61: comprises a toe or pointed portion I51 which is disposed in engagement with or immediately adjacent the pointed end I10 of the segmental butt separating cam Hill, opposite the end adjacent which the knitting cam I4I is disposed. The inner edge of the cast-01f advancing cam I65 is provided with a recess I'II in which a relatively vertically movable tear-shaped hook withdrawing dial cam I12 is disposed, the cams I55 and I35 being vertically movable to two different operative positions relative to the cam I12 and all the cams I65, I63 and I12 being movable to inoperative position.

It will be noted that the separating cam I46 is spaced from opposite walls of the broad groove I31 sufficiently to permit the butts I25a and I2Ia of the hooks I25 and 21 and the butts I260: and i28a of the cast-ofis 26 and I28 to pass between the butt separating cam I40 and the corresponding cam rings I35 and I35. The dial needles I23 and I24 then occupy the idle position shown in Figures 10 and 13. As the butts of the hooks move in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 8, the hook advancing cam I56 extends outwardly at an angle into a substantially V-shaped opening I13 defined by the junctures of the toe I81 and the point I10 of the respective cams I55 and I48.

It will be noted that the cam I12 extends inwardly at an angle relative to the direction of travel of the butts of the hooks I25, I21 and means, to be presently described, are provided to, at times, position the hook withdrawing cam I12 and the cams I55 and I86 in partially operative position for engaging the long butts I21o only of the hooks I21. At other times, the cams I55 and I66 move into fully operative position to engage both the long butts I27a and short butts I25a of the corresponding hooks I27 and I25. However, the cam I 72 never moves into fully operative position as compared to the cams I65 and I66. The cast-off advancing cam is also provided with a heel portion I74, the inner edge of which is spaced from the inner cam ring I36 substantially the same distance as the innermost edge of the separator cam I46 to permit the butts I25a and I27a of the hooks I25 and I27 to pass therebetween. The outer surface of the heel portion I74 of the cast-01f advancing cam I65 is spaced substantially further from the axis of the dial cap 76 than the outer surface of the toe or pointed portion I67 thereof to thus throw the butts I26a and I28a of all of the cast-offs I26 and I28 outwardly into a recess I75 formed in the inner edge of the cam ring I35.

For rib knitting, in the specific form in which the dial needles are operative as secondary neeclles, it is contrived to knit upon them in the radial plane y (Figures 6, 7, and 8) following, in the rotation of the machine, the radial plane it at which the cylinder needles N knit. The dial needles are thus supplied with yarn by the runs of yarn lying between the hooks of the cylinder needles, and the rib or back-wales 72-3, 22-7, b-I I, etc. (Figure 19), knit by the dial needles are formed of these runs of yarn.

The transfer cams I65, I66, and I72 are mounted to work through an opening I76 in the dial cap 76, as observed in Figures 3, 4, and 16. The cast-off advancing cam I65 is suitably secured to the lower surface of a vertically movable carrier block I77, as by a screw I78. In this instance, a suitable spacer block I86 of substantially the same configuration as the cast-01f advancing cam I65 is provided between the cam I65 and the vertically movable carrier block I77.

The carrier block I77 is slotted to receive an upwardly projecting stem portion I8I integral with the hook throw-out cam I66, this stem portion I6I being fixed in the carrier block I77, as by a screw I82 (Figure 5). The carrier block I77 is normally held elevated by a spring I83 disposed within a cavity I84 in an upwardly projecting or raised portion I77a integral with the carrier block I77. The lower end of the spring engages the upper end of a pin I85 which is slidably positioned within the cavity I84 to permit slight rotation of the carrier block I77 for adjustment thereon (Figure 16). The lower end of the pin I85 has a shoulder I86 integral therewith which bears against the upper surface of .the dial cap 70 and the lower end of the pin I85 is threadably imbedded in said dial cap (Figure 16).

The block I77 is mounted for vertical sliding movement on a guide pin I87 fixed at its lower end in a link I96, slotted at ISI, which is fixed to the dial cap 7!], as by a screw I III. Rotation of the block I77 on the pin I86 radially adjusts the cams I65, I66, and I72 so far as the opening I76 permits.

The hook withdrawing cam I72 has an upwardly projecting stem I93 integral therewith which is mounted for vertical sliding movement in the block I77 and the raised portion I 77a thereof, as shown in Figures 5 and 16. The cam I72 is normally urged upwardly to inoperative position by a tension spring I94 connected at its lower end to the upper end of the stem I93 and connected at its upper end to an arm I95 suitably secured to a conventional horizontal bearing portion I96 of the bracket 65 (Figures 1 and 3).

The arm I also serves as a stop for a pair of control levers 260 and 2M, each of which has an adjustment screw or abutment 263 thereon which normally bears against the lower edge of the arm I95. It will be observed in Figures 2 and 4 that the control levers 260 and 2I'II are oscillatably mounted intermediate their ends, as at 264, in a pivot block 205, the outer or rear end of which is mounted on the shaft I52 and the front end of which is suitably secured, as by a screw 266, to the bracket 65. The abutments 263 on the front ends of the levers 200 and MI, are adapted to, at times, be moved downwardly into engagement with the upper edges of respective auxiliary dial cam control levers 2 I6 and 2! I, respectively.

The outer ends of the auxiliary levers 2H! and 2 are pivotally mounted, as at 2I2, on a substantially L-shaped bracket or angle slip 2I3 which is also suitably secured to a substantially vertical portion of the bracket 65, as by a screw 2I5. It will be observed in Figures 1 and 4 that the auxiliary lever 2 I II is substantially longer than the auxiliary lever ZII and the free ends of the auxiliary lever 2H] and 2II are provided with respective downwardly projecting toe portions El 6 and 2 I 7. The toe portion 2I6 of the auxiliary lever 2 I0 engages the upper surface of the raised portion I 7711 of carrier block I77 and is so formed that it will not then engage the upper surface of the stem I63 of the hook withdrawing cam I72.

On the other hand, the toe portion 2I7 of the auxiliary control lever 2I I engages the upper edge of the setm I93 of the hook withdrawing cam I72, but is so formed that it will not engage the upper edge of the raised portion I77a of the carrier block I77. Of course, the upper end of the stem I93 projects substantially above the upper surface of the raised portion I 77a of the carrier block I77.

Referring to Figures 2 and I, it will be observed that the outer or rear ends of the transfer cam control levers 260 and 2I3I are provided with followers 226 and 22I which are adapted to be engaged, at times, by the upper ends of respective thrust rods or thrust bars 222 and 223 which extend downwardly at the rear of the machine (Figure 2) and, at times, are urged into engagement with the upper surface of the main pattern drum I5 by springs 22 i, only one of which is shown in Figure 2.

At other times, the lower ends of the thrust rods or bars 222 and 223 are successively engaged and elevated by cams 225 and 226 suitably secured to the periphery of the main pattern drum 76. The cam 225 is provided with stepped surfaces 225a, 2251) and 2250, the surfaces 226a and 2267) being successively engaged by the lower ends of both of the thrust rods 222 and 223. However, it will be observed in Figure 17 that the surface 2250 is of less width than the surfaces 226a and 225i) and is engaged only by the lower end of the thrust rod 222, which controls the transfer cams I65 and I 66.

The cam 226 is also provided with stepped surfaces 226a, 2262), and 2260 which surfaces 226a and 22Gb are successively engaged by both of the thrust rods 222 and 223 and the surface 2260 being engaged only by the thrust rod 222, since the cam surface 2260 is offset relative to the surface 2261; in the identical manner in which the cam surface 2250 is offset relative to the cam surface 2225b.

' Method of operation In knitting a stocking such as is exemplified in Figure 18, the selvage'is formed in the usual manher of knitting a make-up course, knitting with all of the cylinder needles N, or the 1 X 3 rib may be formed commencing with the make-up course in each successive stocking or article. In the present instance, the 1 X 3 rib is formed entirely around the stocking in the elastic top T and the leg L. Thus, it is to be assumed that, upon starting knitting, the main pattern drum I is rotated to cause the cam IE to elevate the thrust rod s as the needle cylinder 5? and the dial 63 rotate, the cam I66 (Figure 2) being set so the knitting cams MI, I42, and I43 are moved downwardly above the short butts ia and 226a or the dial needles I23 in segment I33 to subsequently be engaged by the long butts IBM and I28a of the dial needles I24 in segment IEI (Figure 9), to thereafter cause the long butts I2'Ia and I280! to engage and be acted upon by the corresponding knitting cams Mi, I42, and I43 in the usual mannor of rib knitting.

The first needle jack elevating cam I03 (Figure 6) is also moved into operative position for engaging the butts of the long but jacks J-Z and the needle cams I05, H8 and I2I are also in op erative position. The elastic yarn feed finger I65 and the body yarn feed finger til then move into operative position, whereupon the needles raised by the jacks 5-2 riding up the first needle jack elevating cam Is? are caused to take the yarn R from the elastic yarn feed finger 595 and are subsequently lowered by the cam I96 as the corresponding jacks are lowered in engagement with the left-hand incline of the inverted V-shaped opening IGI in the cam ring Itii.

Thereafter, the jackless cylinder needles remain in a lowered position as the ever-active needles therebetween are raised by the corresponding long-butt and short-butt jacks J-I and J-2 riding up the second needle jack elevating cam 5st. These groups of three needles, elevated by the jacks 3-! and J4, then pass above the dividing cam H3 and the stitch cam H2 and successively pass beneath the top center cam lid and the stitch cam M3 to take the body yarn from the body yarn feed finger 8S and to form stitches therewith at It.

In the meantime, the spaced iackless needles, which are every fourth needle in this instance, are elevated by the needle elevating cam In in advance of the transfer zone at the radial plane 20; (Figures 6 and 8), and are then directed downwardly by the dividing cam H3 so as to pass beneath the stitch cam H2 the lower or bottom center cam IE5 and the stitch cam H3. Thereafter, the dial needles above said jackless cylinder needles form stitches at the radial plane y in the usual manner as set forth in said Patent No. 1,641,101.

Thus, a l x 3 ribbed fabric is formed including the rib or back wales b3, b'! and b-II (Figure 19) and the ever-active cylinder needles form the face wales f-i, f-2, ,f-ii, j-fi, f-(i, etc. (Figure 19) Of course, when the desired number of courses have been knit to form the top T, the cams I95 and i133 and the elastic yarn feed finger I85 are withdrawn from operative position to inoperative position, in a well-known manner, whereupon the long-butt jacks -2 traverse the same path as the short-butt jacks J-! as they pass the first needle jack elevating cam H13 and, in which instance, the needles above the long-butt jacks remain in lowered position riding adjacent the mean upper surface I20 of the cam ring Iflfi.

However, the jackless needles and the groups of three needles between adjacent jackless needles will be controlled in the identical manner to that heretofore described as they move in the vertical planes of the cams I04, I I1 and I I6 and the stitch cams to continue the formation of complete circular courses of 1 X 3 ribbed fabric throughout the knitting of the leg L of the stocking shown in Figure 18.

Now, as heretofore stated, there have been no means provided heretofore for rendering half or a segment of the active dial needles inactive while permitting the remaining half or segment of the dial needles to remain active, as in knitting the ring heel courses Rh, the heel h, the instep I and sole 5, after having knitted complete circular courses of ribbed fabric, as is necessary in order to facilitate the forming of an anti-ravel selvage S when commencing the knitting of a stockin During the knitting of a final or last complete course in the leg L or" the stocking, a portion of which course is indicated at L-I in Figure 19, all three of the transfer cams I55, H35 and I12 move into partially operative position as the thrust rods 222 and 223 are successively engaged by the surfaces 225a and 22% on the cam 225. This occurs as the dial needles I23, having the short butts 125a and I26a thereon, are moving past the transfer cams I65, I56 and I12. Thus, the butt I2'Ia of the leading long-butt hook I 27 and the long butts I2'ia of the succeeding long-butt hooks I2? are successively engaged and thrust outwardly by the hook advancing or throw-out cam I66 and, thereafter, engage the cams I72 and I as the long butts I28a of the corresponding cast-oils I28 engage and are thrust outwardly by the cast-off advancing or throw-out cam I55. This causes the long-butt dial needles I'M including the longbutt hooks and cast-ofis I21 and E28, to successively occupy the relative positions shown in Fig ures 13, 14 and 15. Thus, the long-butt dial needles I2 1 retain the stitches in the hooks I2? thereof.

However, after the hooks and cast-offs I21 and I23, having the respective long butts HM and I28a thereon, have started moving past the transfer cams I66, I55 and I72, the surface 2250 of the cam 225 moves into engagement with the lower end of thrust rod 222 (Figures 2 and 4) to further elevate the same and to thereby cause the auxiliary transfer cam control lever 2H to simultaneously move the hook advancing or throw-out cam I56 and the cast-off advancing cam down wardly to fully operative position while the hook Withdrawing cam I12 remains in the original partially operative position, since the surface 225i) extends past the surface 2250 (Figures 2 and 17) in the vertical plane of the thrust rod 223.

Thus, the relatively short butts I25a on the hooks 25, following the long-butt hooks I21, successively engage the inner surfaces of the portions EST, I?! and I14 of the cast-off advancing cam I65 as these short butts I25a pass beneath the auxiliary hook withdrawing cam I12. This is an extremely important feature of the present invention, since the hooks I25 and cast-offs I26, havin the respective short butts I250, and IZSa thereon will successively occupy the relative positions shown in Figures 10 to 13, inclusive, to thereby transfer the loops or stitches from the short butt segment I36 of dial needles I23 to the corresponding jackless cylinder needles N at the radial plane i2a (Figures 6 and 8).

In other words, the hooks I25 and cast-offs I26 are in their idle position as shown in Figure 10 as the short butts I25c and I26a thereon move past the butt separating cam I46. As the dial needles I23 continue to move in a counterclockwise direction past the separator cam I46 in Figure 8, the short-butt hooks I25 are successively advanced or moved outwardly as the short butts I25a thereon engage the hook advancing transfer cam I66. This causes the short-butt hooks I25 to move outwardly to substantially the position shown in Figure 11, relative to the dial 16, while the cast-oil's I26 remain in the position shown in Figure relative to the dial 16, in which position the last previous dial loop d-I (Figure 11) will have slipped up upon the shank of the hook I and, thus, will be in position to be entered from within and lifted by the point p-I of the corresponding cast-off I25 as the short-butt cast-offs I26 are moved outwardly or advanced relative to the hooks I25 and as the parts I25 and I26 of the short-butt dial needles I23 reach the radial plane at I la in Figure 8 (Figure 11).

As the short-butt dial needles I23 reach the radial plane He, the corresponding dial loop d-I on each of these dial needles is cast off of the hooks as the hooks are withdrawn, due to the short butts I25a of the hooks I25 moving in engagement with the inner surface of the heel portion I14 of the cast-01f advancing cam I65. At this time, the short-butt cast-offs I26 are moved outwardly or advanced substantially beyond the outer ends of the corresponding hooks I25 as the butts thereof move in engagement with the outer surface of the heel portion I14 of the cast-off advancing cam I65.

As the loops are cast ofi of the short-butt hooks I25 by the points p-I of the short-butt cast-ofis I26, the short-butt jackless cylinder needles, which are being elevated by the cam I I1, occupy the position shown in Figure 12 at the radial plane I2a in Figures 6 and 8. Thereafter, the cam ring surface I15 engages the butt I260, of the short-butt hook I26 causing the same to move inwardly to occupy the position shown in Figure 13, upon approaching the radial plane indicated at I3a in Figure 8.

It will be noted that the short-butt jackless cylinder needles N corresponding to each of the dial hooks I25, from which the loops have been cast by the cast-offs I26, are then in a raised position such that the cast-off loops d-I are taken in the hooks of the corresponding short-butt jackless cylinder needles. Thus, the sittches or loops carried by the short-butt dial needles I23 in the group or segment I36 are transferred to the corresponding short-butt jackless cylinder needles N while the long-butt dial needles I24 in the group or segment I3I remain active during the knitting of the instep courses of the stocking shown in Figure 18. Of course, since the short-butt jackless cylinder needles N which have taken the loops from the short-butt group I36 of dial needles I23 must form face-Wale stitches in each succeeding course in the ring heel Rh, the heel h and the sole 8, the dividing cam H6 is partially withdrawn to inoperative position so these latter short-butt jackless cylinder needles N may ride up the stitch cam I I2 and beneath the top center cam I I4 to take the yarn from the body yarn feed finger 9n and to subsequently form stitches therewith as the butts thereof pass beneath the stitch cam H3 at the radial plane 70. Of course, the long-butt jackless needles continue to be lowered by cam I I6, since they are disposed beneath the still-active long-butt dial needles I24.

Referring to Figure 19, it will be observed that the short-butt jackless needles corresponding to the group I36 of short-butt dial needles I23 take the loops from the corresponding dial-needles in the transfer course L-2 and, in the next succeeding course I-3, face stitches are formed in the wales f-1 and f-I I, since the jackless needles do not pass through the stitch cams in knitting the course L-2 in which the loops are transferred from the short-butt dial needles I23 to the C01- responding jackless cylinder needles N. Thus, the portions of yarn which extend across the dial wales in the transfer course L-2 are pulled down and knit simultaneously with the loops formed in the course 1-3.

This terminates the back wales, such as the back wales 17-1 and b-I I, whereupon the jackless needles then knit face wales ,f-1 and 1-H corresponding to the back wales 22-1 and b-II respectively. Since the last loops formed by the dial needles in the course L-I skip the course L-2 only before being interknitted with the subsequent course 1-3, this produces a smooth face to the fabric at the juncture of the leg L and the ring heel Rh of plain fabric, whereas, heretofore, stockings of this type have been knitted from the toe to the top and this has resulted in small indentations at the junctures of the rib wales and the plain knit wales.

It is evident, by comparing the cams I6! and 225 (Figure 2), that the dial knitting cams I lI, I42 and I43 move to partially operative position, for engaging the long-butt dial needles I24 only, immediately after the transfer cams I65, I66 move to fully inoperative positions.

Thereafter, the cam surface 225:: moves out of engagement with the lower end of the thrust rod 222, after a few of the ring heel courses, say, four ring heel courses, have been knitted. This causes the thrust rod or bar 222 to return into engagement with the cam surface 2251), thereby permitting the spring I83 to return the dial needle cams I65, I66 to partially inoperative position for engaging the long-butt dial needles I24 only.

During knitting of the last of the ring heel courses Rh; prior to commencing reciprocatory knitting, in the formation of the heel h, the cam 225 (Figure 2) moves out of engagement with the lower end of the thrust rods or bars 222 and 223 thereby permitting the springs I63 (Figure 16) and I94 (Figures 1 and 5) to move the respective transfer cams I65, I66 and I12 to fully inoperative position. The stitch cams or dial knitting cams I II, I42 and I43 are also caused to return to fully inoperative position due to the cam I 6i moving out of engagement with the lower end of the thrust rod I56. Thus, during reciprocation of the dial needles, the hooks I25 and cast-offs I26 thereof are alined in the idle position shown in Figure 10 by the separator cam I40.

Upon commencing reciprocatory knitting in forming the heel h in Figure 18, all of the longbutt cylinder needles N are raised to inactive position, so they pass above the top center cam I I4, by the usual operation of the switch cam I61, the remaining or short-butt cylinder needles, including the short-butt jackless needles, remaining in active position.

However, the needle dividing cam H6 is fully withdrawn from operative position along with the needle cams H1 and I2I, during the knitting of the heel it so that all of the short-butt needles pass through the stitch cams upon each reciprocatory stroke of the needle cylinder, it being understood that the number of active shortbutt cylinder needles N are reduced from course to course by the usual narrowing pickers, not shown, in the narrowing at the heel h, and, thereafter, the usual widening picker, not shown, functions to again gradually increase the number of active short-butt needles to complete the knitting of the heel h.

The sole and the instep I are formed in the identical manner in which the ring heel Rh, is formed. To this end, the needle cams H1 and I2! return to fully operative positions as the dividing cam H6 returns to partially operative position to again engage and lower the long-butt jackless cylinder needles N so they pass beneath the stitch cams H2 and H3 in forming the instep I. The remaining or short butt jackless cylinder needles are permitted to pass above the stitch cam H2 and at this time the cam H32 (Figure 2) moves into engagement with the lower end of the thrust rod I56 to move the dial knitting cams NH, 142 and i532 into partially operative position to again engage the long-butt dial needles 24. The transfer cams I85, wt and H2 remain in raised or inoperative position during the knitting of the instep I and sole s.

Upon completion of the knitting of the instep I, it is necessary to commence knitting on all of the cylinder needles N, including all of the jackless cylinder needles to knit the ring toe Rt in Figure 18. To this end, the dial knitting cams Ml, M2 and M3 are first permitted to move to inoperative position due to the cam I52 (Figure 2) moving out of engagement with the lower end of the thrust rod -6. Secondly, the transfer cams I65 and S66 move into partially operative positions, above the short-butt dial needles [23, to engage the long-butt dial needles lid and the hook withdrawing cam H2 is lowered only slightly so that it does not engage either the long-butt or short-butt dial needles I23 or I2 3. This is caused by the surfaces 228a, 2252) successively moving into engagement with the lower ends of the thrust rods or bars 222 and 223 and, thereafter, the surface 226a moves into engagement with the lower end of the thrust rod 222 only to move the cast-oil advancing cam H35 and the hook advancing cam I66 to where they will successively be engaged by the longbutts lZl'a and 128a of the respective hooks l2! and cast-offs $28. This causes the long-butt hooks and cast-offs I21 and I28 to successively assume the successive positions in which the short-butt hooks and cast-ofis I25 and I26 are shown in Figures 10, 11 and 12.

This causes the loops to be cast off of the long-butt hooks 521 having the long-butt E2'la thereon at the radial plane 120 in Figures 6 and 8, since the jackless long-butt needles will be elevated by the cam Ill. Thus, the loops cast ofi of the long-butt hooks I21 will be transferred to the corresponding long-butt jackless cylinder needles at the radial plane lid in Figures 6 and 8. Thereafter, the dividing cam H6 will lower the last mentioned jackless needles so they pass beneath the stitch cams H2 and H3 during the transfer course at the juncture of the instep I and the ring toe Rt.

In the knitting of the next succeeding course following the knitting of the transfer course, the cams H6, H1 and 52! (Figure 6) are withdrawn to fully inoperative position so that all of the long and short-butt needles, including the jackless needles, successively pass above the stitchcam H2, between the top and bottom center cams H4 and H5 and beneath the stitch cani H3 to form plain stitches in the ring toe Rt. After a few plain courses have been knitted, the cam 2% moves out of engagement with the lower ends of the thrust rods 222 and 223 thereby permitting the transfer cams I65, Z66 and 112 to return to fully inoperative positions preparatory to knitting another stocking. This also insures that the transfer cams I85, I65 and 572 are out of the way during reciprocatory knitting in forming the toe t. The toe t is formed in the usual manner of plain reciprocatory knitting and a further description thereof is deemed unnecessary.

Modified form of invention wherein latch-type dial needles are used In order to knit ribbed fabrics in accordance with the principles of the present invention, latch-type dial needles may be used equally as effectively as the hook and cast-ofi type dial needles heretofore described. However, since the latch-type dial needles each has a single butt thereon, the dial cams are necessarily arranged somewhat difierently to accommodate the latchtype needles. The modifications necessary in the original form of the invention to accommodate the latch-type dial needles are illustrated in Figures 20 to 25, inclusive. Since the means for supporting the dial needles and the dial cams and the means for controlling the dial cams and the dial needles and cylinder needles are the same in both forms of the invention, the same reference characters will apply toidentical parts in both forms of the invention and additional reference characters will be applied to those parts of the modified form of the invention which differ from the original form of the invention.

As is the case in the original form of the invention, the latch-type dial needles are also divided into segments of substantially half longbutt latch needles, each of which is broadly designated at 259 and the remaining latch needles are short-butt latch needles each of which is broadly designated at 25! (Figures 21 and 23). The latch-type dial needles 2% and 25! are mounted in the usual radially extending grooves in the upper surface of the dial 53 in lieu of the hook and cast-oil dial needles. All of the latch type dial needles 258 and 25! are each provided with a hook portion 252 at the outer end thereof and a pivoted latch 253 which, at times, occupies the closed position against the hook 252 as shown in Figure 21 and, at other times, the latches are swung or pivoted inwardly to open position as shown in Figures 2.2 and 23. The longbutt and short-butt dial needles 258 and 25] differ in that each of the long-butt dial needles 25B is provided with a long butt 250a and each of the short butt dial needles 25! is provided with a relatively short butt 254a.

In order to accommodate the latch-type dial needles, the dial cap, indicated at it in the modified form of the invention, carries a pair of outer cam ring segments 255 and 256 which are spaced from each other at one end thereof to accommodate a needle withdrawing knitting cam Edi, a portion of which projects inwardly substantially beyond the circular plane at the inner surface of the cam ring segment 256 and against which one end of an auxiliary outer cam ring segment 269 is positioned. The outer surface of the auxiliary outer cam ring segment 260 bears 17 against the inner surface of the outer cam ring segment 256.

It will be noted that the inner surface of the knitting cam 25? is cut away at its juncture with the cam ring segment 255 to form a recess in which a needle advancing knitting cam 26! is disposed. The needle advancing cam 26l is vertically movable to operate in the same manner in which the knitting cams til, it?! and E43 are employed in the original form of the invention.

A stationary inner cam ring 262 is concentrically positioned on the dial cam cap Iii in the modified form of the invention and, thus, the outer cam ring segment 255 and the auxiliary outer cam ring segment 28d define the outer walls of a concentric groove 263, the inner wall of which is defined by the periphery oi the stationary inner cam ring 282. It will be noted that the inner cam ring is provided with recesses or notches 26d and 255 at the outer edge thereof coinciding with the innermost portions of the respective knitting cams Eel and 25 l. knitting earns 25'! and 261 operate upon all of the latch needles sac and 25! in the usual manner to cause the same to form rib stitches from the yarn at the radial plane in Figure 2%, which radial plane coincides with the radial plane of the same reference character in Figures 6 and '7.

It will be observed in Figure 24 that the dial cap iii is provided with an opening 261 which corresponds substantially to the opening Hit in the dial cap it when used to accommodate the original form of the invention as shown in Figure 4, since the needle withdrawing stitch earn 257' may remain stationary and the needle advancing knitting cam 2M is movable from inoperative position to first and second operative positions and vice versa, as indicated by the cams I60, Hit and 62 in Figure The vertically movable knitting cam Elli extends through said opening 26! and is suitably secured on a carrier block Eli] (Figure 24) which block Elt has holes guided on vertical pins 2'5! and 2'12 on the dial cap it. The carrier block 27% is normally urged upwardly in the identical manner to that of the carrier block Hill of the original form of the invention and wherein a suitable spring, not shown, normally urges a housing 273 integral with the carrier block 2?!) upwardly against the lower surface of the inner end of the conventional lever 55E, the lever l5! being mounted and controlled in the identical manner in both forms of the invention.

Now, in order to transfer the stitches from one segment of the short-butt dial latch needles 25! to the corresponding jaclzless needles (Figure 6), which segment of needles may include substantially half the latch-type dial needles, so as to knit the ring heel courses of the stocking shown in Figure 18, there is provided in the groove 283 a group of stitch transfer dial cams (Figure which are peculiar to the modified form of the invention. The stitch transfer cams comprise a vertically movable first needle advancing or throwout earn Zlfi, a vertically movable latch dial needle withdrawing cam its and a stationary or second latch dial n edle advancing or throw-out cam Ell. A recess 278 in ring 262 accommodates one end of transfer earn 215.

vThe proximal portions of the ends of the cam ring segments E55, 256 and the auxiliary cam ring segment 2%, remote from the ends between which the knitting cams and 25f are disposed, are cut away to form a recess 280 in which the transfer cams 275, 216 and 27! are disposed. The

second or stationary needle advancing cam- Ell,- whioh may also be termed as a dividing cam, is suitably secured to the lower surface of the cap iii. However, the needle advancing cam 275 is vertically movable independently of the needle withdrawing cam 276 and steps into fully operative position in the same manner in which the cams i855 and I58 of the original form of the invention step into operative position. 0n the other hand, the needle withdrawing transfer cam Elli is vertically movable relative to the cam M5 to move into operative position a lesser distance than the cam 2E5 in a manner similar to the cam 472 of the original form of the invention.

The transfer cams 275 and 2% are mounted to work through an opening 2M in the dial cap 'l'ii' which opening corresponds substantially with the opening H6 (Figure 5) in the dial cap iii of the original form of the invention. However, the opening 285 is somewhat smaller than the opening i it since the cam Zll' remains stationary and, obviously, does not work through the opening 23 l. The latch needle advancing transfer N5 extends upwardly through said opening 285 and is fixed on a carrier block 283 which is normally held elevated by a spring 284 (Figures 12 i and 25) disposed within a cavity 285 in the carrier block 283. The carrier block 283 is mounted for vertical movement on pins 285 projecting upwardly from the upper surface of the dial cap iii.

The lower end of the spring 285 (Figure 25). engages the upper nd of a guide pin 2% which is slidably positioned within the cavity 285 to permit vertical movement of said carrier block 2&3 relative to the pin 2%. As in the original form of the invention, the lower end of the pin 2% has a shoulder 29? integral therewith which bears against the upper surface of the dial cap ill and the lower end of the pin 28% is threadaloly embedded in said dial cap H3.

As heretofore stated, the needle withdrawing transfer earn 215 is constructed and operates in a manner similar to the hook withdrawing cam ll2 of the original form of the invention is provided with an upwardly projecting stem 29!] integral therewith which is mounted for vertical sliding movement in the block 2&3. The cam 216 is normally urged upwardly to inoperative position by the tension spring I94 heretofore described.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 24 and 25, the upper surface of the carrier block 283 is engaged by the toe portion Hit of the auX- iliary lever 2 iii and the upper surface or edge of the stem 2% of the needle withdrawin transfer cam 2'15 is engaged by the toe portion. 2 i! of the auxiliary lever 2! i. Of course, the auxiliary levers 2m and 2| 1 are controlled in the identical manner in both forms of the invention and the cams on the main cam drum [5 (Figure 2) are arranged in the same manner for controlling the operation of both forms of the invention.

The radial planes indicated at letters y and k in Figure 20 correspond to these same radial planes of the cylinder needles in Figure 6. The radial plane Zia in Figure 20 corresponds to the radial plane la in Figures 6 and. 8 and also corresponds to Figure 21. The relative positions of the dial needles and the cylinder needles in Figures 22,

Method of operation of modified form of the invention The knitting cams 251 and 2M and the transfer cams 215, 276 and 21? control the operation of the latch-type dial needles 2% and 25! in substantially the same manner in which the knitting cams and transfer cams of the original form of the invention (Figures 7 and 8) control the hook and cast-oii type dial needles. Of course, during normal 1 x 3 rib knitting, the knitting cam 228i occupies fully operative position to direct all of the needles outwardly as they move in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 20 and, thereafter, these needles are directed inwardly to form stitches therewith at the radial plane 3/.

Now, as in the original form of the invention, the half or segment of the long-butt latch dial needles 25% remain active while the remaining or short-butt latch dial needles 2511 are controlled to transfer the stitches therefrom to the corresponding jackless needles in knitting the ring heel courses Rh. During the knitting of the final or last complete rib course in the leg of the stocking L, both the needle advancing transfer cam 275 and the needle withdrawing transfer cam Zlii move downwardly to partially operative position above the butts 251a of the segment of short-butt needles 251.

Thus, the butt 256a of the leading long-butt latch needle 25%, and the long butts of all of the succeeding long-butt latch needles 258, are successively engaged and thrust outwardly by the latch needle advancing cam 27% and, thereafter, engage the cam 215, thus moving the long-butt dial needles 25E inwardly before the loop carried thereby has reached the free end of the latch 253 of each of the corresponding dial needles 250. Thus, the long butt latch-type dial needles 25E) retain the stitches in the hooks 252 thereof.

However, after the long butt latch-type dial needles 2553 have started moving past the transfer cams 275 and 2N, the dial needle advancing or throw-out cam H5 is moved downwardly to fully operative position while the dial needle withdrawing cam 21% remains in its original partially operative position. Thus, the relatively short butts 25in on the short-butt latch-type dial needles 25%, following the long-butt latchtype dial needles 25B, successively engage, and are thrust outwardly by, the needle advancing or throw-out cam 275. However, the withdrawing cam 216 is disposed in the path of the long butts 259a only and, therefore, the short butts 25m will pass beneath the cam 2'56 and will then be advanced outwardly to substantially the position shown in Figure 23.

It will be noted that this causes the loops carried by the short-butt latch-type dial needles 25! to slide over the free ends of the latches 253 at the radial plane 12a in Figure 6 and at the radial plane 23a in Figure 20, whereupon the short-butt latch-type dial needles 255 will again be thrust inwardly to idle position by the cam ring segment 255. In so doing, the corresponding latches 253 on the short-butt dial needles 25! will be closed by the corresponding loops and will withdraw from said loops as the loops are transferred to the corresponding jackless cylinder needles elevated by cam ill in Figure 6.

The dial knitting cam 25% and the transfer cams H5 and 2Y5 are then withdrawn from operative position in the manner heretofore described for the original form of the invention during reciprocatory knitting of the heel h. Thereafter,

the knitting cam Ziil again returns to operative position and, again, the segment of long-butt dial needles 2533 continues knitting while the segment of short-butt dial needles 25l remains inactive for knitting the plain sole s and the ribbed instep I.

Upon completion of the knitting of the instep I and the sole 5, it is necessary to commence knitting on all of the cylinder needles N as heretofore described in the original form of the invention. To this end, the dial knitting cam 28! is first permitted to move to inoperative position and secondly, the transfer cams 215 and 216 again move into partially operative position above the short-butt latch-type dial needles 2% and, as is the case with respect to the hook withdrawing cam H2 in the original form of the invention, the dial needle withdrawing cam 215 is lowered only slightly so that it does not engage either the long-butt or the short butt dial needles 250 or 25!.

This causes the long-butt latch-type dial needles 258 to successively assume the successive positions shown in Figures 21, 22 and 23, since the long butts 250a on the long-butt latch-type dial needles are will then be thrown outwardly by the cam 2i5, will pass beneath the cam 2'16 and again be thrown outwardly by the stationary transfer cam 271 to cause the loops to be pressed off of the long-butt latch dial needles 25% as they subsequently are moved inwardly by the ring segment 255 to idle position. Since the corresponding jackless needles will be elevated at the time that the loops are cast from the long butt latch dial needles 25%), the loops will be transferred to the corresponding long-butt jackless cylinder needles adjacent the radial plane 52a in Figure 6 which corresponds to the radial plane 23a in Figure 20. The stitches will then have been cast off of all of the latch dial needles 2% and 25i and the ring toe Rt (Figure 18) will then be formed in the usual manner of plain knitting.

Although the function of the cylinder needles shown in Figure 6 has not been described in detail with respect to the latch dial needles 25% and 25!, the cylinder needles function in exactly the same manner when used in association with either form of the invention and it is therefore believed that a repetitive description thereof is unnecessary.

It is thus seen that I have provided means for knitting hosiery or any ribbed fabric which facilitates the formation of a selvage or makeup or setting-up course, upon knitting each successive stocking, at the top of the stocking and, thereafter, rendering half or a segment of the dial needles inactive while the remaining dial needles remain active regardless of whether the latch-type dial needles are employed or the hook and cast-off type or" dial needles are employed. also, after a number of courses have been knitted wherein half of the stocking or fabric is formed as ribbed fabric and the other half thereof is formed of plain fabric in successive courses, the remaining active dial needles can then be rendered inactive to facilitate the knitting of plain knit fabric, such as in the ring toe of a stock- 6f primary importance is the fact that it is possible to knit a fabric wherein an anti-ravel selvage may be knitted on the fabric prior to knitting the article and then a segment of the dial needles may be rendered inoperative and, thereafter, all of the dial needles may be rendered inactive while complementary cylinder needles are rendered active to knit in the wales previously formed by the formerly active dial needles.

In the drawings and specification, there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a] descriptive and generic sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a circular rib knitting machine having independent cylinder and dial needles, said dial needles each including a hook and a cast-oif movable relative to each other, the hooks and cast-offs of a first segment of said dial needles being provided with long butts and the hook and cast-offs of a second segment of the dial needles being provided with short butts; the combination of a set of transfer cams including a hook advancing cam adapted to engage the long butt and short butt hooks in advance of the transfer point, a hook withdrawing cam spaced between the hook advancing cam and the transfer point and being adapted to engage the long butt hooks only to withdraw the same in advance of the transfer point, a cast-off advancing cam having a radially enlarged heel portion thereon at the transfer point and a relatively narrow toe portion thereon, said toe portion having a notch formed therein in which a portion of the hook withdrawing cam is positioned, an arcuate separating cam having a substantial portion thereof disposed in advance of the hook advancing cam and being adapted to engage the proximal edges of the butts on the hooks and castoffs for maintaining the latter in fixed relationship radially of each other in advance of their approaching the hook advancing cam, and the proximal portions of the separating cam and the toe portion of the cast-off advancing cam being disposed in close proximity to each other to thereby insure proper relationship of each cast off and its corresponding hook in advance of, and while passing, the transfer cams.

2. In a circular knitting machine having a dial mechanism including a dial cap, an outer cam ring and an inner cam ring on said dial cap and forming a broad substantially concentric groove therebetween, a set of knitting cams disposed in said groove, a set of transfer cams disposed in said groove and being circularly spaced from said set of' knitting cams, a plurality of high butt cast-offs and corresponding high butt hooks, a plurality of low butt cast-offs and corresponding loW butt hooks, said set of transfer cams including a hook advancing cam spaced in advance of the stitch transfer point of the dial mechanism, a hook withdrawing cam spaced between said transfer point and the hook advancing cam, and a cast-off advancing cam; the combination of a toe portion integral with said cast-off advancing cam and being disposed in a radial plane between the proximal portions of the hook advancing cam and the hook withdrawing cam whereby said toe portion insures proper alinement of the butts of the hooks with the hook Withdrawing cam after they have been advanced by the hook advancing cam.

3. In a circular knitting machine having a dial mechanism including a dial cap, an outer cam ring and an inner cam ring on said dial cap and forming a broad substantially concentric groove therebetween, a set of knitting cams disposed in said groove, a set of transfer cams disposed in said groove and being circularly spaced from said set of knitting cams, a plurality of high butt cast-offs and corresponding high butt hooks, a plurality of low butt cast-offs and corresponding low butt hooks, said set of transfer cams including a hook advancing cam spaced in advance of the stitch transfer point of the dial mechanism, a hook withdrawing cam spaced between said transfer point and the hook advancing cam, and a cast-off advancing cam; the combination of a toe portion integral with said cast-off advancing cam and being disposed in a radial plane between the proximal portions of the hook advancing cam and the hook Withdrawing carn, a segmental butt separating cam mounted in said groove and having one end thereof disposed in close proximity to the toe portion of said cast-01f advancing cam and having its other end disposed adjacent the set of knitting cams, the inner and outer surfaces of the segmental butt separating cam being spaced from the proximal surfaces of the outer and inner cam rings to thereby form grooves through which the butts of the hooks and cast-offs pass in their course between the set of knitting cams and the set of transfer cams to thereby maintain the hooks and cast-offs in proper relationship radially of the dial mechanism, and whereby said toe portion insures proper alinement of the butts of the hooks with the hook withdrawing cam after they have been advanced by the hook advancing cam.

4. A structure according to claim 3 wherein the proximal portions of the toe portion of said cast-off advancing cam and the segmental cam are spaced radially outwardly of the hook advancing cam to provide space therebetween for movement of the butts of said hooks to the hook withdrawing cam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,191,378 Getaz Feb. 20, 1940 2,191,389 Hill Feb. 20, 1940 2,316,822 Thurston et al Apr. 20, 1943 

